Entering Kindergarten

As your child approaches that ripe age of four, you should already be preparing them for their first school experience. Reading to your child on a regular basis is essential for developing language as well as interest in learning to read. Also, use environmental words to help them become associated with the idea that words have meaning. Help them to recognize fast food signs, logos, brand names, car signs and models. You will be surprised when you make identifying these signs and logos a game, how much they can actually remember.

Before that first day of school teach your child to copy their first and last name. It makes it so much easier when they begin school knowing how to recognize their name and to write it, no matter how primitive it might look. When they make those beautiful drawings, they will be able to write their name for identification later. In addition, they really need to know their basic numbers to make their life a little easier and gain confidence in their abilities. Start establishing a one -to-one correspondence between an object and a number when counting.

When the time comes, help your child to begin school by showing them that you will always be back to pick them up after being in some-one else’s care. I remember when I first taught kindergarten, being so surprised that these five year olds were crying and screaming about being left for a day at school. I think all parents should be able to ween their children for a day with a babysitter, in a church nursery or a Mother’s Day Out program. Probably one of my fondest memories of teaching was when the first day of kindergarten was coming to a close and one little boy started getting all of his supplies together to take back home. I responded, “Oh, no let’s leave these things here for you to use tomorrow”. He promptly told me, “No, I’m not coming back!”. One day of kindergarten was evidently all he needed and he had decided that he would not be returning. Remind your child gently that everyday they will go to school and everyday you will return for them and they need not be afraid.

Last but not least, prepare your child by putting their name in everything they take to school. Somehow, no matter how hard we try- things and clothes, etc. end up getting misplaced. Even though it may be bothersome, place their name on their pencils amd colors and scissors so as, to elimenate disagreements with other children. And this brings me to the last idea for making school a good experience, help your child learn to become a good friend. Every child wants to make friends but, not every child knows how to be kind, express their feelings when they get upset or share materials and toys when necessary. These types of things need to be taught to children as they develop. Begin to instill empathy, a caring mindset for others and also to roll with the punches when things don’t go well. If you help your child now when it is easy then it can help prevent problems down the road.

Beginning school can be an earth shattering experience or it can be a fun event they will enjoy everyday. Prepare them ahead of time educationally and emotionally for the biggest day of their life (so, far). Beginning school will be the first (geat) day of many new beginnings!